The fanfare from the Francescan anthem played as a fleet of pirate ships were engaged by a single giant bright-red super robot. The robot’s long legs ended in rapid fire guns instead of feet and it easily destroyed the plodding pirate ships. Anything it didn’t destroy with firepower, it sliced apart with the long swords it held in each hand.
Its work done, the robot landed on a powerful snub-nosed carrier starship and out of the cockpit jumped a beautiful young girl with pink hair and bright green eyes. Under her uniform tunic she wore a short mini-skirt with thigh-high boots.
“Hi, I’m Space Knight Lindee Linx and this is my Hyper Battle Machine, Zedshen. Isn’t he cool?”
Paress had to keep himself from saying, “Yeah!”
As Lindee walked along the hangar, various technicians ran up and gave her high fives for her performance in battle. After some quick banter, she walked away from the crowd and looked back at the camera. “If you’re watching this, it means you’ve been Blessed! That’s awesome! If you’re one of the very lucky, very few, to have received the Blessing, you have the chance to try out to become a Space Knight. Like me!”
Lindee unbuttoned her tunic and took it off throwing it over her shoulder as she continued to walk carefree. The fact that she wore a skintight white tank top with no bra underneath her tunic was something that made Paress studiously avoid eye contact with his mother— or anyone else for that matter.
“Being a Space Knight is the best thing ever,’ Lindee said. “You get to travel all over the galaxy, meet all kinds of cool people, and help out people in need. You get to kick the butts of the Empire’s enemies, and coolest of all, you get to pilot an awesome Hyper Battle Machine. Mine’s #68. Which one will you get? A classic or something bleeding-edge? Either way, you know you’ll be piloting one of the most powerful weapons in the galaxy!”
Lindee stared intently in the camera, her eyes hooded, as she sighed, “I don’t know about you, but all that power gets me really excited!”
Okay, Paress wasn’t going to make eye contact with anyone for the rest of the day.
“Hey Lindee!” A young girl with elven features skipped into the screen and gave Lindee a hug. “You were so cool out there. Those pirates didn’t know what hit ‘em!”
“Hey Shandlin, thanks!” Lindee turned back to the camera, “This is my Companion Shandlin. She’s so cute!” At this, Shandlin grinned and gave a thumbs up to the camera. “Having a Companion is one of the perks of being Blessed. No matter what, I have someone around who can keep up with me and be my friend. We do a lot of cool things together, but best of all, it’s Shandlin who helps me to synch up with Zedshen. Us and Zedshen are a team.”
Lindee and Shandlin walked on, “If you join the Space Knight Corps, you’ll become part of an exclusive group that answers only to the Imperial Royal Household and has the authority to bring justice to the enemies of the Empire. There aren’t many of us, but we sure make a big impression wherever we go.”
Lindee and Shandlin had circled back to stand in front of Zedshen’s cockpit. Above, the intense red eyes of the Hyper Battle Machine stared ahead as Lindee said, “Your Space Knight Academy rep can answer questions you might have.” She pulled her tunic from her shoulder and put it back on. “Well, it’s time to head back out and kill some more baddies. I hope you join us and if you do, make sure to look me up. See ya on the battlefield!”
Lindee disappeared back into Zedshen’s cockpit and moments later, the giant red robot was seen flying into battle and destroying more pirate ships. Over the footage appeared text saying “Space Knights: Champions of The Empire.”
The screen went black and the lights came back up. As Behlen went to retrieve his card from the console, he said, “That battle footage is all real. Of course, we spliced in the footage of Lindee’s talk, but the actual combat is truly her and #68.”
“That girl is really a Space Knight?” Paress father asked. “She seemed more like a…I dunno, a pop star.”
“Ha, I’ll tell her that the next time I see her,” Behlen said. “She’s been talking about maybe releasing a single to drum up support for the Academy.”
“Does the Academy really need more support? It seems to be doing well already.”
“You know, every little bit helps. But I’ll admit that Space Knights are already pretty popular. The public needs its heroes and Space Knights are some of the few people who can back up the hype. They don’t just act like heroes, they are heroes.”
Hearing this, Paress’ eyes lit up. While he had never been someone to go out of his way to help the less fortunate, he still thought of himself as a good person. And if being a Space Knight allowed him to help the needy while gaining fame, fortune, and those creatures he’d so far found elusive— girls— why not? He was up for it. He noticed Behlen watching him and the doctor gave him a wink.
“He won’t be alone of course,” Behlen said. “Even if you hadn’t seen the video, it’s a well-known fact that Space Knights are always accompanied by Companions, and are assigned a Hyper Battle Machine for the really heavy combat. Not only that, but each Machine is assigned to a carrier starship that acts as a home base. One Space Knight team with Machine and Carrier can do the work of a fleet with a fraction of the ship and manpower requirements.”
“Lindee’s Hyper Battle Machine was really cool,” Paress spoke up.
Behlen smiled, “#68 is one of our latest. He’s been in action for about two years now. I’m proud to say I was one of the design leads for him.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” Behlen’s smile was one of actual pride, so Paress knew he was telling the truth.
“That’s amazing! I can’t believe I’ve met somebody who actually designs Hyper Battle Machines.”
“I take it you’re a fan?”
“Yeah! I love super robots!”
“Well, we have the best, you know.”
“Yeah!”
Paress’ mother put her hand on his arm, “Paress calm down. I know this sounds exciting, but it’s also very dangerous. And it could be years before you see your family again. If ever. Do you really want that?”
Paress’ excitement drained away. “Well, no.”
“I’ve looked into this and spent a lot sleepless nights reading up on the net,” she said earnestly. “If you decide to be a Space Knight, you’ll have to leave home for four years to attend the Academy while you train to be a Space Knight. And during that time, you won’t be able to come home even for a short visit due to security. Am I right, doctor?”
Behlen didn’t blink. “Yes, ma’am you’re right. For reasons of security, Space Knight cadets must stay on campus for the duration of their training.”
“And correct me if I’m wrong, but a cadet’s family can only visit once a year. For two days at Christmas, we can come and visit Paress at the Academy and then we have to leave and come home. Right?”
“Yes.”
Paress’s mother looked at him, tears at the edges of her eyes. “Would you be okay with living that kind of life Paress?”
“What happens when I graduate and become a full Space Knight?” Paress asked. “Can I visit my family then?”
Behlen’s eyes softened. “Unfortunately, no. As I said, a Space Knight has to fill in a lot of the empty spaces in the Empire. No sooner will you get one place safe and trouble-free, that you’ll be shifted to another hot spot. And so on. Don’t get me wrong— you’ll get vacations and times to relax. But you’ll often be so far away that the time to travel home in multiple long-distance jumps would exceed your actual time off.”
“There’s also the matter of security,” he continued. “Space Knights rarely get to return to their actual homes. They have to meet their families in Academy approved resort stations or planets with high security protocols.”
“Then why would I want to be a Space Knight?” Paress asked. “Hyper Battle Machines are cool and all, but I’d miss my family. I mean, I’m not even 13 yet.”
“You’re right,
it’s tough,” Behlen agreed. “But I will say this: if you join us, your family will never want for anything. Your father could retire tomorrow with an annual stipend of five-million credits annually.”
Paress’s eyes widened. His family already lived comfortably on his father’s salary of 175,000 credits annually. Five million!
“Second, you’ll see things that most people of the Empire, myself included, can only dream of. Planets where dragons roam, worlds inhabited by beings from dreams, and some from nightmares. Cosmic events that will make you cry from their sheer beauty— and terror. You’ll meet some of the most amazingly gifted people in the galaxy. And as a Space Knight, you’ll enjoy Imperial Prerogative which means that really, you’re only answerable to the Royal Household. You’re practically guaranteed of meeting nobility and maybe even the Emperor himself.
“When you retire, you’ll be given large holdings and money and land. For all intents and purposes, you’ll have your own little kingdom. And considering how many Space Knights are granted nobility, you have a very good chance of having an actual kingdom.”
Behlen smiled and nodded, seeing Paress’ interest begin to grow again.
“What if I don’t make it to full Space Knight?” Paress asked.
“If you aren’t able to make full Knighthood and the Hyper Battle Machine pairing doesn’t take, you’ll still be placed somewhere special, like in the Royal Guard divisions,” Behlen said. “You’ll be assigned to one of the royal starships, or maybe even to one of the royal army regiments. There are lots of possibilities and the rewards are still pretty nice compared to the lives of most people, so it’s really nothing to complain about. Not every single gifted person can become a Space Knight. But every gifted person is still special and we want to make sure that person has a good, rewarding life.”
“But doctor…” Paress was startled to hear the older of his two younger sisters speak up from the doorway.
His mother jumped up, “Jane, you know this is private. Go back to your room and play with Iona.”
As she started to shoo the girl away, Dr. Behlen said, “Mrs. Handrel, if you don’t mind I’d like to hear what your daughter has to say.”
Paress’ mother looked from Behlen to Jane to Paress’ father, who shrugged. Finally, she said, “Okay, go ahead, Jane.”
Jane clung to the doorway, afraid to step fully into the room. Paress loved his little sisters. Neither of them had ever been bratty to him, contrary to what he’d heard of other little sisters of the universe, and they always looked up to him. Jane was two years younger and so had more in common with him than Iona, who was only five.
“Well, it’s just that I heard that when somebody is Blessed, they live a lot longer than normal people,” Jane said.
“Yes, that’s right. Most human people get to live to be about 150 or so,” Behlen said. “Blessed live to be around 200 to 220.”
“So if Paress gets all this stuff late in his life when he retires, won’t we all have died? Who can he enjoy this stuff with? It won’t be us. Won’t he be lonely?”
Dr. Behlen got to his feet and walked over to shake the little girl’s hand. “You’re a very special person for asking such a perfect question.” He kneeled down so he was closer to eye-level with her. “You’re right, by the time Paress gets to retire to his little kingdom, you and your sister and mom and dad will all be in Heaven.”
“But Paress wont be alone,” he said earnestly. “He’ll have his Companion, and a Companion is a very special person who will never leave a Space Knight. In fact, when a Space Knight dies, the Companion dies too so that the Space Knight will have his friend travel to Heaven with him to see his family and other friends again.
“And even before then, Paress will meet other Space Knights and people with the the same kind of long life as him. So I promise that he’ll never be lonely. He’ll be surrounded by those friends forever. And you never know, maybe he’ll have some children of his own who will also be there. Maybe even your own children too. So please don’t worry about that. I promise that will Paress will always have someone nearby to keep him from being lonely.”
Jane looked at Behlen a long moment before she said, “Unless he dies before he’s old enough to retire.”
Paress’ mother moved to take Jane’s hand and take her away, but a glance from Behlen kept her still. He turned back to Jane. “Yes, I won’t lie. Many Space Knights die giving their lives for the Empire. But let me ask you. What’s a better way to die? After a long life, quietly among friends and loved ones? Or in the middle of a battle knowing that your sacrifice is going to help so many people go on and live their lives?”
“Well,” Jane considered, “maybe they’re both just as good.”
Behlen smiled. “So do I. So I think we can both say that no matter what, Paress’ life will be a good one.”
“Jesus, this is all so morbid and absurd,” Paress’ father said. “We’re discussing how my twelve-year-old son will die with my ten-year-old daughter.”
Behlen stood and patted Jane’s back before going back to his seat to sit down. “Actually, this is probably one of the best conversations I’ve ever had with a family of a possible Space Knight. To be fair, I haven’t been on many of these interviews. I’m relatively new and it’s not even my department.”
“What do you mean, not your department?”
“Usually, someone from the Instructional Division would do the interview. One of my doctorates is in Other Dimensional Mechanics. The other is in Astrophysics. I’m from the Hyper Battle Machine Development Division. But I had to meet Paress when I saw his test scores because we have a Machine that has never been piloted, in a dormant state for the past sixty-six years waiting for the right pilot. I think Paress could be that pilot.”
That certainly got Paress’ attention, but before he could say anything, his mother said, “You said this has been one of the best interviews, but you haven’t been on many. Please explain.”
“Well, this is only my fourth interview. Again, this is usually handled by Instructional. But I know from my colleagues how these things normally go and frankly, you all…” he looked at everyone in turn, including Jane, who had stopped half-hiding in the doorway and had ventured into the room “…have been asking some of the best, most sober questions. I’ll be honest. Most people get bedazzled by the riches, the fame and fortune, hell, the bragging rights of having a Space Knight in the family.”
He looked at Paress, “Your family truly cares for you and I can tell you care for them. So while I feel like I might lose this fight and the chance to have you as an amazing Space Knight, I can at least comfort myself in knowing that I lost out for the right reasons.”
“Don’t you want to hear what I have to say about all this?” Paress asked. Something about how his family had been steering the conversation bugged him even though they were obviously asking out of care for him.
“Of course,” Dr. Behlen replied.
“Okay, well, what happens to me if I don’t want to become a Space Knight? You’ve been talking about security and everything if I do. But nobody’ll care if I don’t?”
“Not exactly,” Behlen said slowly. “First of all, your abilities don’t go away if you decide to stay at home. So we have to make sure you don’t hurt yourself or others. You’ll have to always wear a suppression device to limit your powers. You’ll still have your strength and durability, but your telekinetic abilities will become practically nonexistent.”
“I guess that’s not so bad,” Paress said. “I’ve never needed telekinesis all that much before, and I’ll still be strong, so nobody can bother me.”
“Well, there’s a little more to it than that,” Behlen said. “While a lot of people receive their Blessing thanks to their nanotech going through a transformation, your case is different. Your powers seem to be coming from you naturally. Ironically, your nanotech is adapting to allow you to better control your powers and focus them…and in some ways, even limit your telekinesis.”
“The telekinesis, yes. The enhanced strength and toughness, no. The nanotech seems to be strengthening your body in subtle ways so that you don’t accidentally destroy yourself with your mind. Other people with a sudden jump in telekinetic ability have been known to kill themselves with their mind before they were able to reign in their powers. Your Blessing isn’t the powers themselves, it’s the ability to control and well, survive, those powers.”
“Okay…” Paress said. “So what’s the problem?”
“Well, when we fit you with the suppression device, it will communicate to your nanotech to inhibit your powers even more than they are now. Right now, the nanotech is working in a sort of partnership with your brain. But if we want to suppress your telekinesis, the nanotech will have to act more aggressively to your brain. Any sudden bursts of emotion can be dangerous, so that part of your brain will have to be dulled down.
“Also, since a large part of your powers come from how you perceive the world around you and how you manipulate things accordingly, we’ll have to shut down a lot of your senses as another backup to keep you from doing anything dangerous.”
“It sounds like some kind of lobotomy,” Paress’ father said.
For the first time, Behlen actually looked away slightly. “That’s actually fairly accurate.” He looked back up to meet Paress’ eyes. “Your body will essentially be going through a non-stop lobotomy to keep you from doing anything dangerous to yourself or others. I won’t mince words. You don’t even realize it right now, but you’re actually constantly using some form of your telekinesis to perceive the world and move around in it. It’s augmenting your balance, your touch, and so many other things. It’s unconscious, really. That’ll all be gone and I think it’s gonna make you feel very numb. Everything will change. You’ll also feel half-asleep sometimes, and you’ll be lucky to hold on to any kind of complex thought for more than a few minutes.”
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